Price tag molding



Sept. 2, 1952 F. G. SCHULER PRICE TAG MOLDING Filed June 16, 1950 Patented Sept. 2, "1952 PRICE TAG MOLDING Fred G. Schuler, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Youngstown 7 Manufacturing,

Incorporated,

Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 16, 1950, Serial No. 168,528

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to price tag molding trims and more particularly to a price tag trim incorporating resilient means for edge tensioning price tags positioned therein.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a price tag molding incorporating distortable means for securing price tags therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a price tag molding for application to the edges of shelves to form a finished edging therefor. I g

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a price tag molding incorporating a distortable rubber-like member for edge tensioning various sizes of price tags therein in nonslidable relation thereto.

The price tag molding disclosed herein is intended for positioning on the foremost edge of shelves in retail establishments and particularly those of the self-service type wherein merchandise is displayed in readily available .locations upon shelves, counters and the like and prices of the merchandise are displayed by interchangeable price tags; associated with the particular merchandise and carried by the price tag molding. V

The price tags generally employed for such purposes are formed of stiff paper or cardboard, Celluloid, or similar plastic materials suitably printed and possessing suilicient rigidity to retain themselves in vertically bowed position in the price tag molding with their upper and lower edges engaged beneath longitudinally extending flanges of the molding. 1

A further and most important object of the present invention is the provision of a distortable rubber-like insert carried in one of the flanges of the molding and presenting a substantial, longitudinally extending body to the edge of the price tag positioned thereagainst so that the distortable rubber-like body is partially distorted by the positioning of the price tag in bowed shape in the molding. The distortion of the distortable rubber-like insert firmly anchors the price tag in the desired position and prevents it from being moved longitudinally of the molding or from being easily removed therefrom.

This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending patent application on Price Tag And Molding Trim, Serial No. 107,742 filed July 30, 1949.

As disclosed in the aforementioned application for patent, a price tag molding trim is set forth incorporating a longitudinally extending body having its marginal edges in the form of inturned flanges, one of which is turned inwardly to define a longitudinally extending channel adapted to receive and retain an elastic cord. The longitudinal channel carrying the elastic cord is off-center with respect to the plane of the face of the molding so that price tags positioned in the molding and against the face thereof will have one of their marginal edges engaged beside the elastic cord which is thereby distorted and the price tag thus held firmly in position in the device.

The present disclosure relates to the same gen eral type of price tag molding with the exception that the longitudinally extending flanges are of different cross section so as to position the same in different relation to the longitudinal body of the molding than the construction in the afore mentioned co-pending application. Additionally; and most importantly, the longitudinally extend ing channel in which the elastic cord is posi tioned is re-located in the present disclosure so that rather than being oifset with respect to the plane of the face of the molding, it is on the center line thereof which positioning results in the engagement of the price tags positioned in the molding against the full cross sectional thickness of the elastic cord so that the same is distorted and more effectively edge tensions the price tag than the molding in the aforesaid patent application.

The improvement set forth hereiinresides in the alteration of the molding and the 're-location of the longitudinally extending channel and the elastic cord disposed therein and with respect to the plane of the face of the molding itself.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construc-, tion hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of the what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the inven tion.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a composite perspective viewof the price tag molding.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-4 0 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Figure 1.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular it will be seen that an improved-price tag molding is illustrated as comprising a body member If! secured to the forward edge of a shelf S as by fasteners II. The price tag molding comprises a relatively long length as compared with its height and its face is substantially concave between its upper edge I2 and lower edge I3. The upper edge I2 includes a horizontally disposed, rearwardly extending leg I4, the rearmost portion of which abuts the face of the shelf S due'to the substantially concave shape of the price tag molding. The forward portion of the edge I2 lies on a vertical plane and is indicated by the numeral I5. The portion I5 over-. hangs the body In of the price tag moldingland is so shaped as to define a longitudinally extending channel I6 which is substantially circular in cross section.

The channel I6 in cross section lies partially in back of and partially in front of the face of the molding body II] and is adapted to receive and retain a rubber-like cord H which is round in cross section and is initially of a greater outer diameter than the inner diameter of the substantiallyrcircular channel I6. The cord 'I1 is positioned in thechannel I6 .by stretching thesame sotas .to distort it and reduce its diameter sufficiently .to enable ittobe positioned in the channellfi through the limited access slot I8 which is defined by the rearwardly extending edge of the front portion I5 and the forwardly extending surface of the molding body In as best showniin Figures ZandBof the drawings Stillreferring to Figure iof the drawings .it willbe seen that the lower edge I3 of the mold-- ingiincludesan upwardly and outwardly extendingiflange I9 and a downwardly and crearwardly extending flangeZIl. It will thus be seen thata pricetagsuch asshown inEigure l of the drawings-,and'carrying. the indica 6 may be positioned in the molding, with its lower edge bearing againstthe junction of the innerlsurface of the upwardly and outwardly extending flange IS with the-front face of the body Ill and the upperedge thereof engaged. in the slot I8 and bearing against the upper portion of the distortable rubber-like cord H. The price tag is bowed in order-.topermit it to be so positioned, and upon such positioning the center portion thereof is then pushed inwardly against the body ID of the molding as shown in the left hand portionof Figure ,1 of the drawings wherein a price tag carrying the indicia 5 isldisplayed.

It wil' be observedthatas the price tag is moved into'the position illustrated'in Figure l of the drawings, whereit assumes a concave shape, the upperedgethereof pushes upwardly against the longitudinal center line of the distortable rubher-like cord I1 and compresses the same, thus providing a continuous edge tensioning along the uppere'dge of the price tag'by reason of its engagement with the cord I1 and a similar edge tensioning along the bottom of the price tag by reason of its engagement with the flange I9. The price tag molding in such position is very'firmly positioned in the molding and conforms in shape substantially to the concave shape of the face of the body II) of the molding. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that price tags of regular, over, and underlsize are thus readily accommodated by the molding due to the utilization of the rubber-like cord I'I which provides an automatically compensating 'member which will firmly position any price tag whether regular; under-size, or over size in height.

It will thus be seen that the improvement disclosed herein comprises the positioning of the distortable rubber-like cord I! in the molding in 4 such a manner that the upper edge of the price tag pushes directly against the longitudinal center line thereof when installed in the molding. In the aforementioned co-pending application, the price tage is slid in behind the rubber cord and the degree of distortion of the cord was not comparable with the distortion obtained in the present construction and comprising the imble to easier and faster formation as by extrusion due to the positioning of the channel I6 in the relatively thicker edge I2 of the molding.

By referring to Figure 2 of the drawings an enlarged cross sectional detail of the price tag positioned in the molding and distorting the cord llmay beseen and in Figure 3.0f the-drawings the price tag positioned inrthemolding and not yet-moved into fixed position may beseen. :Figure 2 corresponds with the cross sectioncshown in the left hand portion of Figurel and Figure 3 corresponds with the cross section shown in the right hand portion of Figure l of the-drawings.

It will be obvious'to those skilled in the art that the price tagmolding disclosed herein may bemounted on any, shelf regardless of .the thickness thereof as the downwardly and rearwardly extending flanges 20 on the lower edge I3;iof the molding terminates on the same verticai plane as the back of the body II of the molding ,and the rearmost edge of the leg I4. of the'molding. It will also be seen that the face'ofthezmoldin I0 is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending grooves 2i and that some of these grooves 2! have their counterpart on the'back surface of the molding'in'the form of spaced, longitudinally extending ribs 22. This construction facilitates the-economic formation of themolding as it breaks-up the surface of the molding into a number of relatively small light reflecting panels and at the same time enables the molding tobe formed in a thinner cross section. Additionally, the grooves 2i provide for the insertion of a tool'for snapping out the price tags as they'must be bowed from the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings to that shown in Figure '3 in order tobe removed from the molding.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the invention have been met by "theprice tag molding disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what "I claimis:

A price tag molding comprising-an elongated body having a, concaved front face'vertically arcuate for-substantially-the "entire distance between upper and'lower side edges of the body, forwardly disposed'fianges along the said upper and lower side edge of the body, the upper flange being formed with a longitudinal channelin its under portion circular in cross section and open along its under portion to provide a slot, said slot being of less widththan the diameter of the channel and extending "forwardlyand rearwar'dly of a diameter taken vertically through thechannel; there being an inner surface-'for'the upper'flange extending upwardly at a rearward incline and terminating along the front side-edge of said slot, and a rubber-like cord fitted into said channel through said slot, said cord being circular in cross section and filling the channel and "for a FRED G. SCHULER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Davis June 4, 1935 Hopp June 23, 1942 Hornung June 20, 1944 Grail Nov. 22, 1949 Slavsky May 16, 1950 Gerbes July 4, 1950 Hubbell Nov. 21, 1950 

